Dear Pie Eater

As a person originally (for 19 too-long years) from Leigh (I don't advertise that much), any move was good for me. If you have had your belly's worth of Wigan, before you travel 12,000 miles, how about trying 'down south' (e.g. Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall). I found that my quality of life improved an order of magnitude once I escaped the North West in favour of Dorset. But on your original point, no, we came on holiday first. I would strongly recommend doing that and staying for 3 weeks of more if possible. Otherwise the sunny postcard pictures are all you have to go by.

Yours,
Lobby Gobbler

My wife and I moved to Sydney last month and we had never been to Australia before. We did consider a trip here first but we felt that we wouldn't really know what it was like to live in Sydney unless we lived in Sydney.

We both work in IT as well, myself as an Oracle develope and my wife as a BA. The job market doesn't seem to bad, particularly for my wife who had a couple of job offers within a week. I had applied before we came over using the SEEK and Jobserve websites and got a contracting job within a week of arriving...so no holiday for me. Still, we had the assurance of an income and set about finding accomodation.

We have just found a place in North Sydney, $480 a week, and across the road from work - I'm on the 41st floor of the Hyundai building with fabulous views across the harbour.

I have to say we have found living in Sydney - so far - incredibly easy, and so much like England. Its not cheap though, I would guess things cost pretty much the equivalent to UK prices.

We are loving it though - and waiting for the summer to roll in.

I hope you make the move.

Dickie

Hi ww
We are also from wigan, and can't decide on Melbourne or Sydney, busy doing s**t loads of research at the minute. The money saved from NOT going on a reccie will pay for our 20ft container. So in answer to your question we will be moving to aus without visiting ....unless we win on the lottery
Lol

We also are going to Sydney with out ever being there. loads of research on Adelaide and Perth as well. We have friends in Sydney and Ive had a job offer so brain says Sydney. Hoping that having some one there will help us integrate easier. If its something you gotta do then do it. life is to short for what ifs..

all the best

Cockney Rob>>>>

Going to Adelaide soon ( spring 2006) We've never been but it looks great in the pictures..

we came without ever visiting, couldn't see the point in a holiday to waste 6k on flights etc so took the plunge as a "virgin" visitor
No problems as yet although we have decided to move to the gold coast as we live in forest lake at the moment which is a bit manufactured

Dave

I would have went without going, wife wouldn't consider it without going to see it first. But so glad we did go last year to see for ourself what Aus is like and what it has to offer. Not like it is on TV weather isn't all endless sunshine, not all people and places are nice, some very big plus points and some negative points. Can't say that anyone can tell you what to expect, but if you can afford a holiday out there do lots of research and have a good knowledge of where you intend on living in Aus.

Hi! We moved here 12 months ago, never been here, didnt know anyone. Decided we wanted to move to Queensland....did research and when landed at Brisbane Airport with 3 small children, we travelled the coast of Queensland for 10 weeks and then settled on an area. We are now living on a 4acre block in the rainforest 30 minutes from beach, building our own dream house...living the dream!!!!!!but still very keen to see the rest of OZ but will do that as holidays for awhile..Maggie

Good on ya, so where abouts in QLD did you end up?

We live in a little village called Mapleton near a place i read about in the lonely planets guide....i read about a place called Montville which is up the road from where we are. It is in an area called The Blackall Range, beautiful scenery and inland natural waterholes with waterfalls, that the kids love to swim in. Our nearest beach is 20mins away called Coolumn and Mudjimba. We are 40 minutes from a seaside resort called Noosa(very up market) and another called Molooloba....best of both worlds....Maggie

Well we haven't been :scared: but will just worry about that if and when we get there !

Hiya.

We're off to Adelaide too. We have never even done a long haul flight!!!!
Researched+++

We are doing it for loads of good reasons but the main thing for me is that I couldn't live with the "what if" factor if we didn't pursue our dream.
Decided against the visit as it would just eat into the aussie pot!!

xRachx

Too right!!!!Life is for living....we have no regrets...the world is a big place! Go for it ...maggie xx

I agree that emigrating to Aus if you've never been before is an adventure, but it's also a gamble. 1 in 3 return to the UK. I think that is a very high rate.

Some are simply homesick or miss family, which can happen to all sorts, but many have posted that Aus 'wasn't what they expected'.

I can't help feeling that the glossy progs on telly about Aus convey a largely false impression of the country. Also, Aus has many of the same problems as the UK (and sometimes those probs are worse, eg drugs and alcohol and suicide rate), but there are also some very pleasant surprises. For example, usually good to excellent customer service in restaurants and shops, which seems to be a logical extension of the overriding feeling I get that Aussies are for the main part very friendly and helpful.

Also, the place isn't completely infested with snakes and spiders, although I actually consider this a downside as I love snakes and spiders!
The bush flies however....aaargh! :scared:

So go with an open mind and expect the unexpected and be prepared to adapt, because no amount of research will prepare you for every situation you encounter.

Personally I'd strongly recommend visiting before emigrating, if only to get a feel for some places. This is how I fell in love with the Northern NSW coast and found out that Sydney really isn't for me! But if you do end up going without seeing the place first, then I hope it pays off and you love the place anyway. Listen to lots of folks experiences though. The more the merrier, as you will hear every possible opinion that way.

Good luck!

Sorry Martin only just seen your query. I don't have any. If you read what others have said or use the search option on this site it may help
Cheers oldgit